Indonesia’s top clerical body forbids wildlife trafficking

The Indonesian Council of Ulama, the country’s largest clerical body, has issued a fatwa or call to action to Indonesia’s 200 million muslims to take an active role in protecting and conserving endangered species.
According to National Geographic journalist, Bryan Christy, the fatwa was inspired when a villager asked Muslim leaders on a field trip about the status of wild animals in the Islaamic faith.

The Muslim leaders replied: “They are creations of Allah, as we are. It is haram to kill them, and keeping them alive is part of the worship of God.”

The fatwa states that you can escape government regulations but not god’s. Under the fatwa governments would review permits for companies harming the environment and do more to conserve endangered species.

In a related story a woman in the Muslim nation of Malaysia is facing wildtrade charges following the airing of Al Jazeera documentary.

Cheah Bing Shee, recently featured in Return of the Lizard King, an expose on the post-prison activities of convicted wildlife smuggler Anson Wong, appeared in a Penang sessions court yesterday where she faces charges of illegal posession of totally protected tortoises.

My Latest Mongabay story

Clik on the photo of Ian Player to read my opinion piece in South Africa’s Daily Maverick: Greenwashing and the farmed five

Mic Smith’s Mongabay story was nominated for a Clarion media award

Reserves often dehorn rhinos to deter poachers

Feds allow seismic testing in marine sanctuaries

ALL ARTICLES ON MIC SMITH GEOGRAPHIC ARE WRITTEN BY MIC SMITH UNLESS OTHERWISE ATTRIBUTED. OCCASIONALLY MIC PUBLISHES WORK OF OTHER ENVIRO JOURNOS AND ATTRIBUTES THEM.

After the attack three years ago, Thandi has had surgery since the attack to help the healing. She may never heal completely because of normal rhino behaviour and the scars were too deep in the bone for skin to graft to. Now that she has had a calf its a sign to all who care for her that they have done the right thing

No sight of shearwaters this year

Follow me on Twitter

Top ABC Open post from Mic Smith. Click on Photo to read full story

As Barry Manilow would say, East Coast Australian Humpbacks write the songs the whole world sings

Fun photos from the MSG Facebook

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

New posts every week for over a year

New posts every week for over a year

Mozart and Coltrane

Mozart and Coltrane feed in their natural habitat - bins

Mozart and Coltrane. Gold Coast ibis

Check out our new radio satire about the Gold Coast. Mozart and Coltrane are an unlikely pair of ibis on the Gold Coast trying to live up to the Gold Coast cliché. Mic Smith plays Mozart and Mark Silburn plays Coltrane. To check it out click on the photo above